Outlander: Things Beyond Your Ken

Last time on Outlander: Claire arrives at Castle Leoch and befriends the housekeeper, Mrs. Fitz. She continues to tend to Jamie’s wounds and learns more about the mysterious young Scot in the process. Claire meets the Laird, Colum MacKenzie, who is suspicious of her. The entire castle is, except Mrs. Fitz and Jamie it seems. And Geillis Duncan, who befriends Claire. Just as Claire spies freedom, Colum yanks it from her and declares she will be their new healer.

CREDITS! And I finally found out the name of the song used for the opening credits—“Skye Boat Song.” I’ve heard it before; George Donaldson sang it on the Celtic Thunder DVD Heritage. But it only appears on the DVD, not the CD.

Web Series: Emma Approved

Pemberley Digital was not one to rest on their laurels. After the success of The Lizzie Bennet Diaries and Welcome to Sanditon, they introduced another modern take on a Jane Austen classic. And this time, it was Emma Approved!

I am AB and this entry will be SPOILER approved!

*Wink*

ANTM: Spicing Up the Subway

Sorry for the delay. Monday was my mother’s birthday and when I got home from celebrating, I had to choose between ANTM and the Emmys. I’m sure you understand that I chose the Emmys.

Last week: Thirty-one contestants came to LA for the chance to compete to be America’s Next Top Model. But more importantly, Ms. J’s back! After a runway show and  meeting with the judges, the number was whittled down to 22. There’s still another round of cuts to go! Who makes it? Find out!

Wanna be on top?

Face Off: Jungle Fever!

Last time on Face Off: The twelve remaining contestants worked together in pairs to create anthropomorphic trees with a twist. Some worked easily together, others not so much. Despite being in the bottom separately, Doc and Jason together have the winning look but Jason wins the entire week. Damien, Cig, Vince and Drew landed in the bottom. In a surprising move, Vince was eliminated. Eleven contestants remain, who will be eliminated this time? Find out!

Face Off!

Outlander: Into the Viper’s Nest

Last time on Outlander: Frank and Claire Randall go to Inverness, Scotland on their second honeymoon to reconnect after spending the Second World War apart. And for Frank to explore his ancestry, including a British soldier named Jonathan “Black Jack” Randall. When Claire visits a stone circle outside the town, she falls through time and lands in the 18th century. There, she comes face to face with Black Jack himself. He proves himself to be the evil doppelganger and Claire is rescued by a group of Highlanders. She is forced to travel with them and starts to bond with a member of their group named Jamie, who is very injury-prone. As Claire finally comes to terms with her situation, the group arrives at Castle Leoch.

CREDITS! Anyone know if the song is on iTunes? I would love to have it!

Web Series: Welcome to Sanditon

Pemberley Digital is on a roll. The Lizzie Bennet Diaries are an internet sensation. Fans everywhere love your work. Time to put out another video series!

So, which Austen novel to mind next? Sanditon, of course! You know, the novel Jane Austen never finished. In some ways, it was a good choice. But more on that later.

ANTM: The Return!

Damn you, Tyra! You’ve got me recapping a casting episode!

Okay, it’s my choice.

But still!

Wanna be on top?

Guardians of the Galaxy: The Unlikeliest Heroes Ever

Marvel has been on a roll, huh? Hit movie after hit movie—and a popular TV show to boot! And the “Guardians of the Galaxy” movie seemed to be a bit of a gamble. It wasn’t like Iron Man or Captain America or any other Marvel creation known to the mainstream. But Marvel took a chance and it paid off.

Time for SPOILERS!

Outlander: Through the Looking Glass

It’s here! The TV adaptation of Diana Gabaldon’s best-selling novel “Outlander” has arrived. And I’ve decided to recap it because…why not?

Note: I have read the book the series is based on. For the most part, I will not focus on divergences from the source material unless I feel there is something BIG being ignored that you should be aware of. But based on this first episode, I doubt that’ll be necessary.

Let’s begin! And we’ll start with the credits. My God, they are gorgeous! The shots of the Scottish landscape as well as shots no doubt of scenes coming up throughout the miniseries—absolutely perfect. So is the song that plays over them. Brilliant work, production.

Web Series: The Lizzie Bennet Diaries

“It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.”

Most of you probably recognize that as the first line to Jane Austen’s immortal “Pride and Prejudice.” In the first episode of “The Lizzie Bennet Diaries” (LBD), Lizzie (Ashley Clements) shows us that her mother had it put on a t-shirt she gave to each of her daughters. She explains her mother’s obsession with seeing her daughters married off while Lizzie eschews such an old-fashion notion. It’s not that she doesn’t want to get married, she just believes it isn’t the be-all end-all for her as a woman. And she discusses this on camera in a vlog style as part of her classes for her masters in communications, namely in new media, with the help of her best friend Charlotte Lu (Julia Cho).

FaceOff: The Woods are Just Trees, the Trees are Just Wood

Last time on Face Off: Aliens were among us! McKenzie and Glenn challenged the contestants to create their own using ancient cultures and landmarks. Doc struggled trying to combine his aquatic alien with the Easter Island heads. Gwen struggled with an application piece that fell apart. Sasha struggled as well but still rose to the top with her simple yet beautiful alien. But Stella was the week’s winner, stunning the judges with her use of colors. Gwen and Doc fell into the bottom, but Gwen was ultimately sent home. Twelve contestants remain—who will be eliminated tonight? Find out!

FaceOff!

My New Obsession: Web Series

I love web series. And I’ve discovered my share in the past year and a half.

Starting with The Lizzie Bennet Diaries. I discovered this show on tumblr and was shocked to learn it existed. I’m an Austenite—you’d think I’d know about a Pride and Prejudice adaptation! So I went to YouTube and binge-watched all the available episodes. And then I continued watching each episode. Even the ones that were released in between, filling in gaps in the story. Like Lydia’s heartbreaking videos or Gigi’s heartbreaking videos. Yeah, these videos could take you on an emotional and angst-filled rollercoaster sometimes.

FaceOff: Encounters of the Third Kind

Last week on FaceOff: The fourteen contestants moved into their house and loved it! And then they went to Universal Studios and loved it! McKenzie told them they would be creating over-the-top mobsters based on real life gangsters. They paired up and got to work. Cig and George clicked and their mobster was the crème of the crop. Barry and Sasha had some conflict with planning theirs and in the end, Barry was sent home. Thirteen contestants remain—who will go home tonight? Find out!

FaceOff!

Nostalgia Nook: Clueless

In 1815, Jane Austen published her fourth book, Emma. In it, Emma Woodhouse believes she is an expert matchmaker and meddles with her friends’ love lives while content to never marry herself. It ends up blowing up in her face and she ends up falling for her dearest friend, Mr. Knightley. Mr. Knightley, the only one who will tell her the truth. In the mid-90s, writer-director Amy Heckerling took Austen’s classic and adapted it for a more modern audience.

The result? Clueless!

(SPOILERS? As if!)